knitting, baking, dollmaking

House Rules

August 2, 2011

Whenever a guest is in our home, we want them to feel nothing but welcome and comfortable. However, there are a few things that make us reconsider inviting someone back (or inviting someone at all, if that is the case). Kindly observe the following House Rules:

Remove your shoes. Wash your hands.
How is this not basic hygiene for everyone? A small child lives here and soon a newborn will as well. These simple actions go a long way to keep them healthy.

Watch your language.
Do not raise your voice, use crude words, or spew general negativity in our home. It is important to remember that children hear what you say, not what you mean.

No smoking. At all. Ever. Not even outside.
Smoking is absolutely harmful, toxic, and pretty gross. We do not want it anywhere near our child(ren). It is appalling that anyone would think this is acceptable.

Please do not call our home after 7pm.
Though, honestly, you won’t likely get an answer after 5pm. That is when we’re having dinner and spending time together as a family. Calling after 7pm interrupts O’s bedtime routine (and possibly everyone’s sleep). Unless it’s an emergency, it can wait until tomorrow.

Mind your children.
It really isn’t ok for your child to throw toys, jump on the furniture, or behave like a bully.

None of these requests for basic respect and consideration are unreasonable. Yet, it is amazing how many people think the rules do not apply to them! Mind-boggling, really.

Like this:

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I guess I don’t really think of them as rules, per se. Rather, general good manners that I expect from people. But if I have to have rules ( :) ) I’ll use yours plus one more: Clean up after yourself and/or kids before you leave. It is unpleasant to sit and visit with someone (even someone I really love) watching a mess grow and grow, knowing I will be stuck trying to clean it up alone before The Man gets home from work.

I love this! Mostly because I’ve been too… shy? cautious?… to make rules. Either way, I hate smoking and haven’t invited a few people back to my house because of it. I felt bad, until I read this. I will be making rules now, and will also be washing my hands more often ;}

Do Not ever feel bad for not allowing someone to smoke while visiting your home. When an adult chooses to smoke in their own space, that is their choice. Children do not have a choice when exposed to others’ smoke, so we must advocate for them. They have a right to be safe and healthy, especially in their own homes! You have a right to set boundaries for the comfort and health of your family, even if it hurts someone else’s feelings.
None of these things are unreasonable and though I call them “rules” for the purposes of this post, they are really “expectations”… It’s not as though I hand out a flyer as people pass through the font door, but I will not hesitate to say something if the situation comes up, most especially when it comes to smoking!
I hope you feel more confident in doing this in your own home. It can be awkward at times but it is most definitely worth it!

We don’t allow smoking in the house at all, but we also have a pretty large out-door space that we spend a lot of time in (eating, playing, ect.) and so I will be extending the no smoking out there and beyond!
We also share our space with another family most of the time, so I like the idea of sitting down and creating guidelines, so that everyone who lives here feels respected! :)